Plugging device



March 7, 1967 H. SELTZER PLUGGING DEVICE Filed March 24, 1965 INVENTQR. HARRY SELTZER BY 41% Q ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,307,731 PLUGGING DEVICE Harry Seltzer, 239 Clear Meadow Drive, East Meadow, N.Y. 11554 Filed Mar. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 442,376 9 Claims. (Cl. 220-245) The present invention relates to 'an expansible plugging device having particular application in plugging the outlet of an automobile crankcase. It will be readily apparent, however, that this plugging device has considerably broader application and may be employed in various other machines where fluid retaining members have outlets which are plugged.

Conventional crankcase plugs 'are threaded members which are inserted into correspondingly threaded outlets in the crankcase. A common problem in the regular servicing of automobiles is that in the removal of the crankcase plug to drain the lubricant from the crankcase or in the insertion of the crankcase plug after draining to plug the outlet, the internal thread in the outlet of the crankcase is often stripped. The stripping of the thread in the outlet may occur during the very first removal or insertion of the crankcase plug or may result after several drainings of the crankcase.

At the present time, self-tapping crankcase plugs are used in attempting to solve this problem. There is a limit, however, as to how many times self-tapping crankcase plugs may be used. As self-tapping plugs are used, the diameter of the outlet becomes progressively larger with each draining of the crankcase. The limitation on the use of self-tapping plugs is dictated by the maximum openings which may be fitted by a self-tapping plug. Once this maximum is exceeded, the crankcase unit must be removed and a new one substituted. This is both costly and time consuming.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved plugging device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved crankcase plug.

It is a further object of the present inveniton to provide a crankcase plug which is simple in construction and inexpensive to fabricate.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a plugging device which will provide a fluid tight seal for both a tapped and an untapped outlet of a fluid retaining member.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a plugging device which may be fabricated inexpensively by mass production techniques.

A plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention includes an expansible stopper and an internally threaded member secured to the stopper at the open end of the stopper and adapted to receive a bolt axially with the stopper for expanding the stopper axially.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the plugging device of FIG. 1 in its expanded form as it is being inserted into an outlet;

FIG. 3 illustrates the plugging device of FIG. 1 after it has been inserted into the outlet in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken' along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of a plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

1 configurations.

FIG. 6 illustrates the plugging device of FIG. 5 in its expanded form as it is being inserted into an outlet; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the plugging device of FIG. 5 after it has been inserted into the outlet in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, a plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention includes an expansible stopper 10. Stopper 10 may be fabricated of neoprene, although various other materials may be employed. The material selected should be sufficiently fluid tight and expansible so as to conform to the outlet into which it is inserted and yet be able to withstand the relatively high temperatures developed by a crankcase lubricant when the plugging device is being used to plug a crankcase outlet.

The expansible stopper 10 may take various forms and The particular form of the stopper shown in FIG. 1 is that of 'a hollow bulb having a concave closed end. The open end of the stopper is provided with a flanged portion 11.

A plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention further includes an internally threaded member 12, preferably in the form of a nut, secured to the stopper 10 at the open end thereof. For the particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 14, inclusive, the nut 12 is secured to the stopper 10 by means of a washer-like member 13 to which the nut is secured. The washer-like member 13 is disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stopper 10 and is embedded in the flanged portion 11 of the stopper by way of a snap-fit, for example. As shown, the nut 12 and the washer-like member 13 may be cast together as an integral unit.

The nut 12 is adapted to receive a bolt 14 axially with the stopper 10. In particular, the bolt 14 is inserted into the nut 12 so that it moves along the longitudinal axis of the stopper It The internally threaded member 12 is preferably formed in the shape of a nut so that it may be grasped by a wrench or similar tool as the bolt 14 is turned into the stopper or being withdrawn from the stopper.

The stopper 1G is provided with a bearing plate 15 positioned within a bearing recess at the closed end of the stopper. The bearing plate 15 is disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stopper.

As the bolt 14 is turned into the stopper 10, the end of the bolt moves into the bearing recess and bears against the bearing plate 15. The bearing recess serves to insure that the bolt 14 and the longitudinal axis of the stopper remain aligned or coincident as the stopper is expanded. Various other means may be provided for insuring this alignment. For example, the concave end of the stopper 10 may be provided with a circular ridge into which the end of the bolt 14 moves. The bearing plate 15 serves to reinforce the end of the stopper 10 as the bolt 14 is turned into the stopper. By providing a bearing plate, the closed end of the stopper 10 is not subjected to the rotating bolt 14 which may cut into the stopper. The first alteration in form or expansion of the stopper 10 is that the concave end of the stopper is forced outward. As the bolt 14 is further turned into the stopper 10, the stopper expands longitudinally while the diameter of the stopper is reduced. After the diameter of the stopper has been reduced suificiently, the stopper, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is inserted into the particular outlet or opening which is to be plugged. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 16a represents a crankcase wall, reference numeral 16b represents a pan, and reference numeral 17 represents a crankcase outlet in which the thread has been stripped. The plugging device is, as shownin FIG. 3, inserted into the opening so that the flanged portion 11 of the stopper 10 bears against the outside surface of the pan 16b.

Next, the rotation of the bolt 14 is reversed with the result that the stopper 10 tends to return to its initial size and configuration. However, because the stopper 10 has been designed to have an initial diameter slightly larger than the opening into which it is to be fitted, the stopper does not return to its initial size. This causes the bend at the points 18, 18 shown in FIG. 3. The plugging device is removed from the opening by going through the foregoing procedure in the reverse order.

Although the plugging device of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 as being without the bolt 14-, it should be realized that the bolt may be supplied with and remain with the plugging device after insertion of the device. Whether the bolt is supplied with and remains with the plugging device is a matter of choice and convenience.

FIGS. -7, inclusive, illustrate a second embodiment of a plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention. The primary difference between the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 and the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-7 is in the shape of the expansible stopper. In particular, the expansible stopper 20 in FIGS. 5-7 is provided with a conical closed end having what may be termed a lip portion 29. A nut 22 is secured to a washer-like member 23 which is embedded in a flanged portion 21 of the stopper 20. A bearing plate 25 shaped to fit into the apex of the conical end of the stopper 20 is secured to the stopper.

As a bolt 24 is turned into the stopper 2%, the end of the bolt bearing against the bearing plate 25 causes the stopper to expand in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. After the plugging device has been properly inserted into the opening 27, the rotation of the bolt 24 is reversed with the result that the stopper tends to assume its initial shape and configuration. However, because the diameter of the stopper 20 in its initial condition is larger than the diameter of the opening 27 into which the plugging device has been inserted and because the length of the stopper from the flanged portion 21 to the lip portion 29 is smaller than the thickness of the wall into which the plugging device is inserted, the stopper 20 does not return to its initial size. The result, as illustrated in FIG. 7, is that in this embodiment of the invention, besides providing a fluid tight seal along the walls of the opening being plugged, the plugging device provides additional sealing by means of the lip portion 29 which laps over the inside surface of the wall.

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that a plugging device constructed in accordance with the present invention may take various forms and configurations and may be fabricated in many different sizes for insertion into outlets of varying diameters. In illustrating the foregoing two embodiments, the intention has been to highlight this fact and to show that these plugging devices may provide the fluid tight seal either along the surfaces of the opening itself or by an overlap on the inside surface of the wall to be sealed.

It should also be pointed out that a crankcase plug constructed in accordance with the present invention may be inserted into an untapped outlet to effect the desired seal thereby doing away with the need of tapping the outlet and avoiding the problem of stripping threads altogether.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and it is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A plugging device comprising:

(a) an expansible stopper;

(b) a washer-like member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper and secured to said stopper at the open end of said stopper;

(c) a nut secured to said washer-like member and adapted to receive a bolt along the longitudinal axis of said stopper for expanding said stopper longitudinally;

(d) and a bearing member disposed along the longitudinal axis of said stopper and against which said bolt bears as said bolt is turned into said nut and said stopper is expanded longitudinally.

2. A plugging device comprising:

(a) an expansible stopper;

(b) a washer-like member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper and secured to said stopper at the open end of said stopper;

(c) a nut secured to said washer-like member and adapted to receive a bolt along the longitudinal axis of said stopper for expanding said stopper longitudinally;

(d) and a bearing member secured to said stopper at the closed end of said stopper against which said bolt bears as said bolt is turned into said nut and said stopper is expanded longitudinally.

3. A plugging device comprising:

(a) an expansible stopper in the shape of a hollow bulb;

(b) a washer-like member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper and embedded in said stopper at the open end of said stopper;

(c) a nut secured to said washer-like member and adapted to receive a bolt along the longitudinal axis of said stopper for expanding said stopper longitudinally;

(d) and a bearing plate disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper and embedded in said stopper at the closed end of said stopper against which said bolt bears as said bolt is turned into said nut and said stopper is expanded longitudinally.

4. A plugging device comprising:

(a) an expansible stopper in the shape of a hollow bulb;

(b) a bolt;

(c) a washer-like member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper and embedded in said stopper at the open end of said stopper;

(d) a nut secured to said washer-like member and adapted to receive said bolt along the longitudinal axis of said stopper for expanding said stopper longitudinally;

(e) and a bearing member embedded in said stopper at the closed end of said stopper against which said bolt bears as said bolt is turned into said 'nut and said stopper is expanded longitudinally.

5. A plugging device comprising:

(a) an expansible stopper adapted to be engaged by an expander movable along the axis of said stopper, whereby said stopper is expanded axially;

(b) and a bearing member secured to said stopper at the closed end of said stopper against which said expander bears as said expander is moved along said axis of said stopper and said stopper is expanded.

6. A plugging device according to claim 5 wherein the expansible stopper is adapted to be engaged by the expander at the open end of said stopper.

7. A plugging device comprising:

(a) an expansible stopper in the shape of a hollow bulb adapted to be engaged by an expander movable along the longitudinal axis of said stopper, whereby said stopper is expanded longitudinally;

(b) and a bearing plate disposed substantially per- 5 6 pendicular to said longitudinal axis of said stopper (e) a washer-like member disposed substantially perand secured to said stopper at the closed end of pendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper said stopper against which said expander bears as and secured to said stopper at the open end of said said expander is moved along said longitudinal axis stopper; of said stopper and said stopper is expanded longi- 5 (d) and a nut integral With said Washer-like member tudinally. and adapted to receive said bolt along the longi- 8. Aplugging device comprising: tudinal axis of said stopper for expanding said (a) an expansible stopper; 1 stopper longitudinally. (b) a Washer-like member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stopper 10 References Cited by the Examine! and secured to said stopper at the open end of said UNITED STATEg PATENTS stopper;

2 021,259 11/1935 Magnuson 21552 (c) and a nut mtegral. w1th sa1d washer-like member and adapted to receive a bolt axially with said 2978138 4/1961 Moeuer 22O245 stopper for expanding said stopper axially. 15 THERON E CONDON m ar Examiner 9. A plugging device comprising: y (a) an expansible stopper; I. B. MARBERT, Assistant Examiner.

(b) a bolt; 

1. A PLUGGING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) AN EXPANSIBLE STOPPER; (B) A WASHER-LIKE MEMBER DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID STOPPER AND SECURED TO SAID STOPPER AT THE OPEN END OF SAID STOPPER; (C) A NUT SECURED TO SAID WASHER-LIKE MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A BOLT ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID STOPPER FOR EXPANDING SAID STOPPER LONGITUDINALLY; (D) AND A BEARING MEMBER DISPOSED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID STOPPER AND AGAINST WHICH SAID BOLT BEARS AS SAID BOLT IS TURNED INTO SAID NUT AND SAID STOPPER IS EXPANDED LONGITUDINALLY. 